CHAPTER 6: LAND & ITS RESOURCE

Land

Natural
Minerals
Resources

Natural Natural Natural

elements compounds
Petroleum Coal gas

Non-
Metal Sulphides
Metal

Eg: Eg : Oxides
Aluminium Oxygen
Zinc Carbon Carbonates
Iron Sulphur
Silica &
Silicates

Calcium
carbonate

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The Various Minerals Found in the Earths Crust

Mineral is natural element or natural compound found in the

Earths crust.

has a composition and a specific crystalline structure.

NATURAL MINERAL ELEMENTS

Some of mineral elements are Not active because can exist

freely in the Earths crust without combining with other
elements.
Eg : gold, silver, platinum, mercury
2 types of non-metallic elements that exist naturally Carbon
and sulphur

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Natural mineral compounds

1. Most elements are active and tend to combine with other

elements to form compounds.

Element + Element + Element compound

2. Minerals in the form of compounds consist of combinations of

few types of different element.

Eg: tin ore, clay and limestone.

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Non-Metal Element

Other non-metallic elements such as oxygen, sulphur and

carbon usually exist in the form of compounds such as oxides,
sulphides and carbonates.

Eg:
Metal + Oxygen Metal Oxide
Metal + Sulphur Metal Sulphide
Metal + Carbon Metal Carbonate

Less active elements (metal) combine with oxygen and sulphur

to form oxides and sulphides such as iron oxide, copper oxide,
lead sulphide and iron sulphide.

Iron + Oxygen iron oxide

Iron + sulphur iron sulphide

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Elements in natural compounds
oxides Metal + oxygen Metal oxide Eg : Iron oxide,
copper oxide
Metal Oxide + H2O + CO2
Metal carbonate
Carbonates Metal + oxygen + carbon Eg: sodium
Metal carbonate carbonate, zinc
carbonate

sulphides Metal + sulphur Metal Eg : copper

sulphide sulphide, silver
sulphide

Metal Sulphides + Oxygen

Metal Sulphates
silicates Metal + oxygen + silicon Eg : calcium
Metal silicate silicate, and
magnesium
silicate

Table below shows a few examples of minerals compounds found in

the Earths Crust.

Types of Examples Of Chemical name Elements in the

minerals Natural Minerals (Mineral Content) mineral

Oxides Bauxite Aluminium Oxides Aluminium +

oxygen

Hematite Iron Oxides Iron + Oxygen

Sulphides Galena Lead sulphides Lead + sulphur

Pyrite Iron sulphides Iron + sulphur

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Carbonates Calcite (marble Calcium Calcium + carbon
/Lime stone) carbonates + oxygen

Dolomite Magnesium Magnesium +

carbonate carbon + oxygen

Silicates clay Aluminium silicate Aluminium +

silicon + oxygen

Mica Potassium Potassium +

aluminium silicate aluminium +
silicon + oxygen

Minerals chemical characteristic in terms of:

i. hardness
ii. Reactivity & solubility in water
iii. reaction to heat and its effects.

a) Hardness of Minerals

Hardness of mineral refers to the resistance offered by the

mineral on being scratched. The hardness of a mineral is
measured in Moths unit.
Most minerals are hard.
Hard minerals can scratch softer minerals or by knife
Softer mineral can scratch by using fingernails
All minerals made up of carbonate, oxide and sulphide
compounds are hard.
Diamond is the hardest mineral while talc is the softest
mineral.

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B) REACTIVITY & SOLUBILITY IN WATER

All minerals of metal oxides, sulphides and carbonates are

insoluble in water,

Except minerals of metallic potassium and sodium compounds

because they are very active compounds are soluble in water.

c) REACTION TO HEAT AND ITS EFFECTS.

i. Action of Heat on Metal Carbonates

All metal carbonates decompose when heated,

except potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate because

both the metal carbonates are very stable.

The heating of metal carbonates form metal oxides and carbon

dioxide gas.

Metal carbonates metal oxide + carbon dioxide

Eg :

calcium carbonates calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

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 Zinc carbonates _________________ + ________________

Copper carbonates _______________ + _________________

Lead carbonate __________________ + _________________

Iron carbonate ___________________ + _________________

Carbon dioxide gas released can be tested with:

i. Turn lime water into cloudy

ii. Extinguished/light off burning wooden splinter

iii. changes red bicarbonate indicator to yellow

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ii. Action of Heat on Metal oxides

Most metal oxides are stable and do not decompose when

heated.

Except mercury oxide and argentums oxide

Both these metal oxides will decompose into oxygen gas and
their original metal when heated.

EG:

Mercury oxides mercury + oxygen

Argentums oxides ____________+ ____________

Oxygen gas released can be tested with;

i. the glowing wooden splinter will burn brightly

iii. Action of Heat on Metal Sulphides

Most metal sulphides will decompose when heated strongly to

form metal oxides and produce sulphur dioxide gas.

Metal sulphides metal oxide + sulphur dioxide

Eg :

iron sulphides iron oxide + sulphur dioxide

Zinc Sulphides _____________ + _____________

Copper sulphides _____________ + ____________

Magnesium sulphides ______________ + ____________

Aluminium sulphides ________________ + _____________

Lead sulphides ______________ + _________________

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sulphur dioxide gas released can be tested with:

Sulphur dioxide gas released is acidic, has a pungent smell

and;

i. acidic potassium manganate (VII) = purple colourless

ii. acidic potassium dichromate (VI) = orange green.

(a) hardness
(b) solubility in water
(c) effect of heat

Arrangement of apparatus to study characteristics of minerals

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 Type of Hardness Solubility Effect of Heat
mineral in water Observation Type of gas
releases
Iron Oxide / X Does not -
decompose

Tin Oxide / X Does not -

decompose

Lead / X Purple colour of Sulphur

sulphide acidic potassium dioxide
manganate (VII)
is bleached

Iron sulphide / X Purple colour of Sulphur

acidic potassium dioxide
manganate (VII)
is bleached

Calcium / X Lime water turns Carbon

Carbonate cloudy dioxide

Copper / X Lime water turns Carbon

carbonate cloudy dioxide

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Word equations that can represent :

Mineral characteristics like hardness and insolubility in water

makes it still present in the Earth crust although this mineral
has undergone weathering for millions of years.

Most minerals in the Earth crust are hard and do not dissolve
in water.

Most sulphides decompose by releasing sulphur dioxide

when heated.

Most carbonates decompose by releasing carbon dioxide

when heated.

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REACTIONS BETWEEN METALS AND NON-METALS

i. Reactions between metals & oxygen

Most metal reactive when react with oxygen to form metal

oxides when heated except mercury, silver and gold

heat

metal + oxygen metal oxide

heat

zinc + oxygen zinc oxide

i. Iron + oxygen ______________

ii. Aluminium + oxygen _______________

iii. Magnesium + osygen _________________

Different metals have different reactivity with oxygen

Experiments

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 Potassium manganate(VII) crytals is heated to supply oxygen.

Glass wool prevents the Potassium manganate(VII) crytals

from mixing with metal filings because it may cause an
explosion when heated

Results:

Type of metal Observation

Magnesium Burn quickly with a bright glittering white flame

Aluminium Bright flame that spreads quickly

Zinc Bright flame that spreads slowly
Iron Embers that spread slowly

Ascending arrangement of metal reactivity:

Iron Zinc Aluminium Magnesium

Different metals have different reactivity with oxygen

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 ii. Reactions between metals & sulphur

heat
metal + sulphur metal sulphide

heat
lead + sulphur lead sulphide

heat
iron + sulphur iron sulphide

Experiment:

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Results:

Type of metal Observation

Magnesium Burn very brightly

Aluminium Burn brightly

Zinc Produce very brightly ember
Iron Produce bright ember

Ascending arrangement of metal reactivity:

Iron Zinc Aluminium Magnesium

SILICON COMPOUNDS

Almost 75% of the weight of a mineral in the Earths Crust is made

up of oxygen and silicon elements.

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17
 Non-silicates Mineral:

Minerals that do not contain silicon element

Examples calcite, dolomite, magnetite and hematite.

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USES OF SILICON COMPOUNDS IN DAILY LIFE

Silicon Compounds Uses

Silica (sand) To make glasses, bricks, mortar,
concrete and cement

Flint Use as lighter & gas stove

Quartz Mixed with cement to make concrete

Clay To make ceramic products such as

earthenware, porcelain, tiles and
vases
Water glass (Sodium silicate) To preserve egg

To make furniture and floor polish

Silica gel to absorb water vapour

Mica To make electrical insulators in

electric irons

Asbestos As heat insulators to make protective

clothing of fire-fighters

Jades,Topaz,ruby,sapphire,emerald Ornamental stone

Pure silicon is used to make electronic chips. Such electronic

chips are sometimes called silicon chips.

electronic chips are used in eletronic equipment like computers,

calculators and digital clocks.

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 Fibres made from silicon compounds are called optic fibres.
Optic fibres are used to:
(a) replace copper wire to send information like sound data,
video and etc., at the speed of light.
(b) observe internal organs like the stomach without having to
operate on the patient in the medical field.

CALCIUM COMPOUNDS

Calcium is a reactive element and is not found in a free form.

found as compound calcium carbonate consists of calcium +
oxygen + carbon.
Examples of calcium carbonate :
Calcite
Marble
Limestone
animal shells
teeth and bones of animals.

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 1. Calcium oxide is formed when calcium carbonate is heated
over strong heat.

2. Solid calcium hydroxide is formed when water is dripped on

quicklime.

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3. Solid calcium hydroxide dissolves a little in water to form
calcium hydroxide solution.

FORMATION OF QUICKLIME, SLAKED LIME AND LIME WATER

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CHARACTERISTICS OF CALCIUM CARBONATES:

a) Does not dissolve in water

b) Releases carbon dioxide when reacting with acid

c) Releases carbon dioxide when heated over strong heat

Uses Of Calcium Compounds

Calcium carbonate (Limestone) To make quicklime

To make glass, cement,
building and road ,this
compounds can withstand
the weathering process
because this compound is
hard and does not dissolve
in water.

Calcium oxide ( quicklime) To make slaked lime

To dry ammonia gas and
alcohol

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Calcium hydroxide (slaked lime)
To make plaster casts for
supporting fractured bones
To reduce acidity of soil
To make concrete plaster
To make mortar of building
when mixed with sand and
water
To make lime paint when
added with water

NATURAL FUEL RESOURCES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

1. Natural fuel resources found in the Earth crust include:

(a) petroleum (crude oil)
(b) natural gas
(c) coal
(d) wood

2. Petroleum and natural gas are hydrocarbon compounds consist of

a compound mixture that is only formed from hydrogen and carbon
elements.

3. Petroleum, natural gas and coal are fossil fuels that are formed
from the remains of living things that were buried in layers of the Earth
crust millions of years ago.

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A. Petroleum

1. Petroleum is a black and viscous liquid.

2. Petroleum is formed from decayed dead sea animals and plants

that settled on the sea bed millions of years ago.

3. Sediments of these organisms changed into petroleum after being

subjected to high temperature and pressure for a long period of
time.

4. Petroleum in the Earth crust is normally trapped between two layers

of impermeable rocks and is obtained together with natural gas.

Petroleum trapped between layers of rocks in the Earth crust

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5.These various hydrocarbon compounds can be separated through
fractional distillation.

6.This is because all the different types of hyrocarbon have different

boiling points.

7. The higher the boiling point of a petroleum fraction:

(a) the darker is its colour
(b) the higher is its viscosity
(c) the more difficult it is to burn
(d) the more soot its flames produce

8. All petroleum fractions do not dissolve in water.

Generally, the products of petroleum distillation are used:

(a) as energy resource or fuel
(b) to produce various synthetic substances including
(i) synthetic fibres (rayon and nylon) used in making ropes
(ii) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used in making water pipes
(iii) polythene used in making plastic bottles
(vi) synthetic rubber used in making tyres

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B. Natural gas

1. Natural gas is a hydrocarbon compound usually obtained together

with petroleum.

2. Natural gas is used:

(a) as fuel in factories and in the home
(b) to make ammonia and nitrogen-based fertiliser (urea
fertiliser)

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c) COAL

1. Coal is formed from swamp plants that died millions of years ago
and have been compressed by layers of earth on top of it.

2. High pressure and temperature that act on these plants change

them into coal. The main content of coal is carbon.

3. Uses of coal include:

(a) generating electric energy in thermoelectric generating stations

(b) extracting metal from its ore by using coke in a blast furnace

(c) making chemical substances like dye and naphthalene (moth balls)
from coal tar

(d) warming the house in winter

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E. Efficient ways of using natural fuel resources

use smaller
car with
engines that
burn petrol
more
efficiently

Use energy Recycle and use

efficient alternative
reused to
equipment natural
such as reduce the resources
fluorescent raw chemical such as solar
lamps subtances energy

Use energy
efficient
cooking
utensils such
as pressure
cookers to
reduce cooking
time

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